


Shinie

by Elektra Pendragon (elekdragon)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clone Sex, Clones, Fraternization, M/M, Oral Sex, Tattoo Kink, Tattoos, improper tattoo aftercare, superior officer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-19
Updated: 2013-05-19
Packaged: 2017-12-12 08:25:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/809430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elekdragon/pseuds/Elektra%20Pendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rex discovers that Echo got a tattoo to celebrate his promotion to ARC trooper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shinie

**Author's Note:**

> **Shinie, adj**. New and unmarked armor. Often used by experienced clones to describe impulsive or inexperienced behavior, especially in new troopers.

_They said it couldn't be done, the cloners. They said each clone was bred for a specific purpose, and only that purpose. Deviance was stamped out as soon as it was detected. Genetics, training, social manipulation on a massive scale: everything went into creating a perfect weapon, and each clone was nothing more than what their masters set out to create._

_The Kaminoans knew everything about the human genome, but nothing of its spirit._

_It started with lowly troopers rising up in battle, effortlessly slotting into place when one would fall. Mechanic became sniper, sniper into commander, commander into medic; troopers rising up to do whatever it took to keep their brothers alive. One would fall, and they would find a way to push on, beyond their programming, to fill the holes._

_By the time the Kaminoans realized the limitless, flexible potential of each clone, the war had taken far too many. The Republic couldn't wait another 10 years for more perfect soldiers to be grown and trained. They needed bodies._

_Those original clones, those who were ready and who had survived the first year of war, became the commanders of a new type of clone army--warriors grown to adulthood in months, trained in weeks, and pushed out to battle before their first standard year. The technology was inferior in the eyes of the Kaminoans, and the new soldiers even more so. The Jedi refused to allow cullings, degrading the Kaminoan sense of purity even further as they churned out clones to fill the lower ranks. The new fighters were seen as defective bodies, not even worth the cost to create them._

_But once again, the Kaminoans underestimated the spirit of the warriors. Though they wore out quicker, the new clones could learn even faster. Those who survived battle after battle grew in skill until finally, one day, two of these new clones rose to the rank of ARC trooper, far exceeding the expectations of their masters. It was something to celebrate._

_All clones share the same DNA, but each one is an individual, capable of rising up or falling down as any other sentient being in the galaxy. There are traitors. There are heroes. Clones can be petty or noble; generous or stingy. But above all that, we are warriors._

_We are brothers._

>  -- Holo recording of ARC Captain 0978, nicknamed "Medj," speaking to young cadets. Recovered from the wreckage of creche 492, second battle of Kamino.

*****

Rex was proud to have Fives and Echo serving under him--proud to present those two soldiers to his General to be accepted as ARC troopers. Skywalker's face when he confirmed the elevation in rank was a far greater reward than any clone could ever expect. The Jedi was pleased, even if he couldn't understand the significance to the rest of the clone army. Their elevation was an elevation for all. Even the lowest among them--ones once called "bad batchers"--could still reach perfection.

Rex could remember seeing the young Domino squad on the Rishi outpost. The term shinie was giving them too much credit. The new clones hadn't even seen live fire until that day. The eel blood he smeared on Echo's chest was the first mark his armor had ever seen, but they had risen above it, showing ingenuity, bravery, selflessness. It had been an honor to welcome them into the 501st. Now he was welcoming them as colleagues--hardened warriors, capable of bringing victory to the Republic.

Or he would welcome them, if he could find them. The ARCs who were planetside when Torrent Company had arrived on Coruscant a few hours ago had greeted their new brothers warmly, sweeping them up into a celebration of their own.

It was growing late, but he wasn't **too** worried. The ARCs were elite; short of death, nothing would prevent them from a successful mission, and Rex had given specific orders for no one to be killed.

Rex was making his second circuit of the training ground when the noise level rose sharply, signaling the return of his men. He met the weaving line of drunken clones at the entrance of the barracks.

Fives was being carried by two other troopers. Rex gave them a baleful glare as they passed. "I thought I'd made it clear to not break the new ones."

ARC trooper Gorin patted Fives's head. "Not broke, just can't hold his ale!" Fives grunted, but remained unconscious, hanging limply in their arms.

Medj smiled over his shoulder as they continued carrying Fives to the sleep bunks. "You should see the artwork on the other one." He winked at Rex, as the rest of the ARCs filed through, starting up another rousing round of an off-key, drunken "Vode An."

Rex eyed all his men, making sure all parts were accounted for, and any wounds were treated. For a rare night out, the ARCs had managed to follow orders and returned with few casualties.

Echo wasn't a part of the main group. Rex called up the infirmary, confirming that neither he nor anyone else from the 501st had shown up since their landing. Worried about Medj's comment, Rex set out to find him, searching the most likely corners of the barracks. The mess hall was empty, as was the armory.

The strange noise of falling water drew Rex towards the freshers when he passed them in the hallway. The door swished open under his palm, exhaling a puff of warm steam that clung to Rex's face. Someone had turned off the sonics and was enjoying the rare pleasure of a hot water shower, usually off limits unless they were planetside.

Closer now, Rex could hear a light cursing voice being carried out on the steam. His boots squeaked on the tile as he walked through the wet air towards the furthest corner, finally finding Echo drowning his face under the shower.

"I hear you've got something to see."

Echo shook his head, wiping away water from his eyes to look over his shoulder to look at Rex. "Sir?"

Rex gestured to the water. "You're clean enough. Now let me see."

Echo blew the water off his lips in a sigh as he turned off the water. "I told Medj to keep it to himself."

"You can show me now, or I'll read your med report in the morning." While personal body modification was not forbidden under the Jedi, regulations still required strict cataloging of any changes. Tattoos, piercings, wounds, scars, prosthetics, enhancements or alterations needed to be in the record, since DNA was useless for clones, and tallies could be destroyed. The non-clone officers liked to know to whom they were talking; clones wanted to be able to identify a body in the field.

Echo groaned, but he slowly turned, one arm across his chest. He stood unashamed of his nudity, but he hid whatever he'd done to himself.

Rex waved a hand, letting his impatience show. "Show me."

Echo sighed, but slowly lowered his arm. Still red-rimmed and sensitive, a deep dark blue mark covered Echo's right pectoral. It shone wetly under the harsh light. It was a handprint--or at least a tattoo of one--designed perfectly to match the symbol Echo had painted on his armor ever since the eel's blood had washed off.

Echo's hand came up to lightly touch one reddened edge, carefully tracing the outline. "Medj knew a guy. He didn't say it would hurt this badly."

"Suck it up, soldier. Bacta would ruin the artwork, so you just have to deal until nature takes its course." He stepped closer to get a better look. It was eerie how fresh and realistic it looked, like Rex had dipped his bare hand in alien blood and had touched Echo just seconds ago. The details of the print shimmered as Echo breathed. "You've had worse."

"I had painblocks then."

"Medics don't hand them out for a flesh wound like that."

Echo sketched his hand over the large field of blue that represented Rex's palm, avoiding his darkened nipple. The details were perfect, not like the smeared glove mark or the repainted sigil Echo often used, but more like a perfect print of his bare hand. Echo hissed his breath between his teeth. "A hundred thousand tiny laser needles aren't a flesh wound."

"Tattoos aren't deadly." Rex was near enough, so he reached out to hold his hand hovering over the mark. Echo pulled back only a centimeter, swaying slightly away from Rex.

It was a perfect fit.

Of course it was. There were thousands of models available to any artist on Coruscant alone, not to mention those soldiers out in battlefields. "So, why this?"

"So I don't forget where we came from. We were all shinies, once. This way, it can never be taken away from me." Echo trembled slightly, as though it were hard to stay still under Rex's hovering hand.

Carefully, waiting for Echo to back off, Rex pressed his hand forward, covering the mark. Echo hissed, flinching a bit, but he didn't pull away. It was hot under his touch, wet like blood. Rex moved his thumb over the print there, feeling the difference between the marked and unmarked skin, the raised and swollen flesh injured to create such art.

"This way," Echo's voice rumbled under Rex's hand, "you're always right there with me, sir. Not so shinie anymore."

Then Echo leaned into Rex's touch, pressing the hot mark into his palm. He licked his lips, watching Rex's face as he continued to lean forward. Their lips met in the lightest of kisses.

Rex pulled back, letting his hand drop from Echo's chest. "No." He licked his lips, catching the slight flavor of cheap planetside ale. "You're drunk."

"One pint," Echo murmured, his eyes half closed as he stared at Rex's mouth. "I'm no more drunk than you are." He swayed forward into Rex's space, capturing his mouth, swiping his tongue over Rex's bottom lip. A wet hand cupped the back of Rex's head, warm fingers digging in to hold him still as Echo devoured his objections.

Rex could have stopped it--should have--but regulations be damned. He reached out, pressing one hand to the burning mark on Echo's chest and drawing him close with the other on his back. The front of his tunic soaked up the extra moisture, warming Rex's skin.

Echo groaned into Rex's mouth, then he pulled away to tilt his head back and moan louder. Rex lowered his face to Echo's chest, between his fingers, running his lips over the finger-tip of the tattoo. Rex could smell the standard issue soap and the harsh edge of fresh blood and plasma this close to the wound. He lipped the healing flesh, causing Echo to let out a high whine, twisting his body both away from Rex and towards him, sliding against his body. He gripped Echo's hips with both hands, holding him still.

"How does it feel?" Rex asked, moving his mouth down the slick mark to his darkened nipple.

Echo whined again, dipping his head to press his lips against Rex's skull. "Like a blaster burn, like my skin is on fire, like you're pressing a reactor core against me." Echo twisted again, this time thrusting close to rub his rising erection against Rex's thigh.

Rex shuddered, moving back enough to look up into Echo's eyes. They were dark, pupils blown wide. When Rex wrapped his hand around Echo's cock, those shiny eyes closed and his whole body swayed into Rex, like he was about to fall. Echo's fingers dug into Rex's shoulder, holding himself up as Rex continued down his body, licking against his navel. Rex's clothes were already wet from Echo's body, so he didn't even wince when the cooling water soaked his knees. He looked away from Echo's face to stare at the mark on his chest.

An unfamiliar thrum of possessiveness ran down Rex's spine and curled around his balls. His mark. His soldier. His brother. HIS. With a growl, Rex lowered his chin, engulfing Echo's cock.

Echo choked out an inarticulate sound. His nails bit into Rex's skin, creating small points of contact that distracted Rex from the weight on his tongue. He ran his tongue over the prominent vein and up to curl around the head, sucking and licking noisily. His tightened his grip on the base of Echo's cock as his other hand stroked up Echo's stomach and chest to find the tattoo. His palm tingled from the heat of the wounded flesh. Rex stroked the blue skin until he found Echo's tattooed nipple and pinched. Hard.

Echo's knees nearly gave away as he exploded across Rex's tongue. Rex swallowed quickly, pulling off to kiss the flushed tip of Echo's cock before he let it slide from his grasp.

He stood up in order to back Echo against the shower wall, leaning hard into him to keep him from falling as shuddered through the last bit of pleasure. Rex contented himself with nuzzling the side of his neck as Echo caught his breath. "I've got you, brother," Rex rasped. Echo hummed happily in return, his knees locking as he regained control of his body.

Echo slipped a hand into Rex's pants, pulling them down enough to expose his cock. His hand was warm and wet, precum slicking the foreskin as he rubbed it back and forth. Rex dropped his forehead to Echo's shoulder, looking down at the tattoo and the hand jacking his dick. It didn't take much to send him over, spilling over Echo's hand.

Echo lifted his hand, rubbing a semen-covered thumb over the broad mark on his chest, smearing it into the wound.

"That can't be healthy."

"If it gets infected, there's always bacta."

"It'll ruin the artwork."

"Then I'll just have to get it done again." Echo grabbed Rex's hand with sticky fingers and brought it to his chest, rubbing Rex's palm against his abused nipple. "You can watch."

Rex claimed Echo's mouth, finding himself getting hard already just from the thought. "Let's get cleaned up and back to the bunks. The boys will wonder if I killed you."

"I'll tell them you had me run laps around the barracks. Reckless shinie behavior needs to be corrected."

"Not so shinie anymore," Rex murmured.


End file.
